The W168 A-Class was a completely new concept. It is a small family car, small, sporty and affordable. It first made it's debut in 1997.
The exterior of the A-Class was given the honours of being the first in the new design trend. The exterior was rounded, curvy, flowing and elegant. The wheels are situated at the furthest ends of the vehicle; longer wheelbase. From the side, an elegant flowing window along with chrome strips adorn the car. At the front, a Tri-Star set within the grille adds a hint of sportiness. The rear is upright and sporty; bright looking tailights an a freshly designed tailgate.
The interior of the W168 is great. No matter what trim level you choose, the quality is excellent. Classic- Metallic-look trim+fabric seats, Elegance- Wood trim+Leather seats, Avantgarde- Aluminium trim+Leather/Sport fabric seats. The interior is designed with convenience and practicality in mind. The most frequently used controls are placed at the higher parts of the console while less frequently used controls are lower down. The rear passengers get plenty of legroom thanks to the relatively long wheelbase. On the down side, by modern standards, the interior is ugly and cluttered. The W168's interior isn't one of the simple, elegant interiors we see today. However, at it's time, it wasn't too bad. Personally, I feel that the interior is best in wood and second best in aluminium. The interior feels quite cheap with the metallic-look plastic. You are paying for a Mercedes-Benz but it feels like sitting in a Toyota.
The technology involved in the car were the newest of it's time. However, it wasn't that great. The infamous "moose test" proved it all. According to the report, the W168 tipped over while avoiding the moose. Also, 2,600 units were recalled. This dealt a devastating blow to the reputation of Mercedes-Benz. Immediately after the "moose test", Mercedes-Benz installed ESP(Electronic Stability Program) and also stiffened the suspension. After these additions, the ride on the W168 wasn't great. It was jittery and uncomfortable. Also, it was also aerodynamically inefficient.
The exterior of the A-Class was given the honours of being the first in the new design trend. The exterior was rounded, curvy, flowing and elegant. The wheels are situated at the furthest ends of the vehicle; longer wheelbase. From the side, an elegant flowing window along with chrome strips adorn the car. At the front, a Tri-Star set within the grille adds a hint of sportiness. The rear is upright and sporty; bright looking tailights an a freshly designed tailgate.
The interior of the W168 is great. No matter what trim level you choose, the quality is excellent. Classic- Metallic-look trim+fabric seats, Elegance- Wood trim+Leather seats, Avantgarde- Aluminium trim+Leather/Sport fabric seats. The interior is designed with convenience and practicality in mind. The most frequently used controls are placed at the higher parts of the console while less frequently used controls are lower down. The rear passengers get plenty of legroom thanks to the relatively long wheelbase. On the down side, by modern standards, the interior is ugly and cluttered. The W168's interior isn't one of the simple, elegant interiors we see today. However, at it's time, it wasn't too bad. Personally, I feel that the interior is best in wood and second best in aluminium. The interior feels quite cheap with the metallic-look plastic. You are paying for a Mercedes-Benz but it feels like sitting in a Toyota.
The technology involved in the car were the newest of it's time. However, it wasn't that great. The infamous "moose test" proved it all. According to the report, the W168 tipped over while avoiding the moose. Also, 2,600 units were recalled. This dealt a devastating blow to the reputation of Mercedes-Benz. Immediately after the "moose test", Mercedes-Benz installed ESP(Electronic Stability Program) and also stiffened the suspension. After these additions, the ride on the W168 wasn't great. It was jittery and uncomfortable. Also, it was also aerodynamically inefficient.
6 engines were offered for the W168 A-Class. Also, a manual and an automatic transmission were offered. This chart should help you understand the classification better.
A160 CDI 1.6Litre Inline-4 Diesel
A170 CDI 1.7Litre Inline-4 Diesel
A140 1.4Litre Inline-4
A160 1.6Litre Inline-4
A190 1.9Litre Inline-4
A210 2Litre Inline-4
Most people didn't like the W168 A-Class. It badly scarred the name for Mercedes-Benz. However, everyone learns from mistakes. Mercedes-Benz realized the problems of the W168 and from these mistakes, developed the W169 A-Class.
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